Exeter, NH (January 22, 2009)—Joining a growing list of more than 50 private, independent boarding schools from nine Northeastern states, Phillips Exeter Academy will kick off the campus- and community-wide energy conservation competition, the Green Cup Challenge, on Monday, January 26.

In its fourth consecutive year, the Northeast GCC joins more than 100 schools nationwide in their monthlong effort to educate and combat global warming. The GCC will involve schools from 25 states—potentially affecting a total of more than 100,000 students, faculty, staff, school and local community members through Sunday, February 22.

Activities during the energy conservation challenge include: a “National Teach-In” forum with a pre-recorded video webcast highlighting several well-known global warming advocates, including Hunter Lovins, followed by an open discussion with the audience. It also includes a kickoff discussion with Climate Counts’ project director Wood Turner; a GCC Pledge drive; four open screenings of environmental documentaries addressing such critical issues as mountaintop removal coal mining, how global warming is changing the amount of potable water, and the little-known phenomenon of “global dimming,” the earth’s shrinking amount of sunlight. The forum will also examine the challenges and opportunities of LEED-certified construction; and the “Frugal Fashion Expo,” featuring recycled clothing, appliances, CDs and office supplies. There will also be a student video competition and an off-campus community energy conservation challenge, where prizes will be awarded.

“The Challenge is aimed at making students, faculty and staff aware of their use of electricity and helping them find ways to conserve,” says PEA Sustainability Coordinator, Jennifer Wilhelm. “This year, all participating schools will work together to reduce their electricity consumption by 7 percent by actively using less energy. The goal is to educate the community about the impact of environmental and economic choice, and to reduce campus emissions of greenhouse gases. Members of each school community will be encouraged to use less energy by turning off computers, monitors, lights and appliances when not in use; hanging clothes out to dry instead of using dryers; turning down thermostats; and taking shorter, cooler showers.”
 
2009 Boarding School Participants

Connecticut
Cheshire Academy (Cheshire)
Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford) 
Ethel Walker School, The (Simsbury)
Hotchkiss School (Lakeville)
Kent School, The (Kent)
Loomis Chaffee Academy (Windsor)
Miss Porter’s School (Farmington)
Pomfret School (Pomfret)
Salisbury School (Salisbury)
Taft School (Watertown)
Westminster School (Simsbury)

Delaware
St. Andrew’s School (Middletown)

Massachusetts
Belmont Hill School (Belmont)
Berkshire School (Sheffield)
Brooks School (North Andover)
Buxton School (Williamstown)
Concord Academy (Concord)
Deerfield Academy (Deerfield)
Eaglebrook School (Deerfield)
Fessenden School, The (West Newton)
Governor’s Academy (Byfield)
Groton School (Groton)
Linden Hill School (Northfield)
Northfield Mount Hermon (Northfield)
Phillips Academy (Andover)
St. Mark’s School (Southborough)
Stoneleigh Burnham School (Greenfield)
Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Wilbraham)
Williston Northampton School (East Hampton)
Winchendon School, The (Winchendon)
Worcester Academy, The (Worcester)

New Hampshire
Holderness School (Holderness)
Kimball Union School (Meriden)
Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter)
Proctor Academy (Andover)
St. Paul’s School (Concord)

New Jersey
Blair Academy (Blairstown)
Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville)
Peddie School (Hightstown)

New York
Darrow School (New Lebanon)
Gow School, The (New Lebanon)
Trinity Pawling School (Pawling)
Pennington School (Pennington)

Pennsylvania
Hill School, The (Pottstown)
Mercersberg Academy (Mercersberg)
Shady Side Academy (Pittsburgh)
Westtown School (Westtown)

Rhode Island
Portsmouth Abbey (Portsmouth)
St. George’s School (Newport)
St. Andrew’s School (Barrington)

Vermont
Green Mountain Valley School (Waitsfield)
Putney School (Putney)
Stratton Mountain School (Stratton)

“The Green Cup Challenge has evolved quickly over the past four years into a more sophisticated educational outreach program,” says Wilhelm. “Now it’s more than an educational event on campus; it’s a series of fun and challenging events that stretch beyond the walls of Exeter and into the lives of more than 50 different school communities. Today, we estimate the GCC will educate, engage and impact more than 100,000 people. Instead of simply asking students to turn off lights, we are supporting positive behavior changes by infusing global warming education into every aspect of our daily lives.”  

For further information, call Wilhelm at (603) 777-3765 or visit Exeter’s Sustainability website page. A complete list of upcoming events is available on the Phillips Exeter Academy public events line at (603) 777-4309 and on our website at http://www.exeter.edu/. For directions to Phillips Exeter Academy, call (603) 777-4330.